Method of aligning and coating

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are disclosed for precision placement of a workpiece onto a transport member. A plurality of workpieces are aligned in a predetermined spacial relationship upon an infeed conveyor. The workpieces are then moved transversely off the conveyor and dropped through a pair of counter-rotating lubricating rollers. An arcuate chute directs the workpieces from the lubricating rollers to a horizontally disposed planar surface where they are realigned by a cooperating scraper positioned intimately above. Relative movement between the scraper and the planar surface causes to workpieces to be discharged from the surface and precisely deposited upon the transport member.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 809,799, filedJune 24, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,984.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a method of positioning a plurality ofworkpieces in a predetermined alignment and will be disclosed inconnection with a mechanism for treating and aligning flattened squarepieces of thermoplastic resin for placement upon a conveyor.

In the processing of thermoplastic resin, an especially quick method offorming thermoplastic containers or other articles has developed whichutilizes extruded or coextruded square chips or blanks. These chips areheated to a temperature above their softening point but below themelting point to facilitate subsequent biaxial orientation of the chipmaterial in a forging and forming process. The chips are forged into apreform from which the final product, such as a container, isthermoformed. This process has been termed "scrapless thermoforming" andis more fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,739,052 and 3,947,204.

Transfer of the workpiece or chips from the thermal conditioning processmust occur in such a way that the chip retains uniformity oftemperature, is not unduly or unevenly chilled, and suffers noappreciable temperature drop nor any physical distortion from itsflattened state. The ultimate product, which may take the form of a deepdish or tub of the type used for butter, cottage cheese and margarine,may be substantially distorted or defective if the chip is subjected tothermal nonuniformity. Hence, the transfer mechanism used to transportthe chip throughout this process should work fast enough to minimizetemperature changes and heat losses while at the same time avoidingphysical distortion of the workpiece.

In order to realize these multiple objectives, the present inventionprovides a mechanism for precision placement and alignment of theworkpieces upon a transport member immediately prior to the thermalconditioning. Such an alignment permits a second transfer mechanism torapidly translocate the chips from the transport member following theheating process, to a forge with minimal physical distortion and heatloss.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Apparatus to practice the method of the invention is disclosed in itspreferred embodiment as an apparatus for aligning and depositing aplurality of thermoplastic chips unto transport member. The apparatuscomprises a base and an infeed conveyor upon which workpieces arealigned in a fixed spacial relationship. The apparatus moves theworkpieces in a direction transverse to the direction of conveyormovement and discharges the workpieces in the fixed spacialrelationship. The workpieces are permitted to drop from the infeedconveyor discharge position under the influence of gravity until themovement is interrupted and the workpieces are directed onto a planarsurface. After realignment, the apparatus removes the workpieces fromthe surface and deposits them upon the transport member for furtherprocessing.

The preferred embodiment aligns the workpiece by a series ofsequentially operated gates extending across the infeed conveyor. Alateral actuator transversely moves the aligned workpieces off theconveyor and drops them through a pair of counter rotating lubricationrollers and an arcuate chute to a horizontal surface. Workpieces arescraped off the horizontal surface in a manner that realigns andreleases them without horizontal components of discharge velocity.

A method for precise workpiece alignment includes moving the workpiecesupon an infeed conveyor and aligning those workpieces. The workpiecemotion is then terminated in the direction of primary conveyor movementwhile relative movement by the underlying conveyor is permitted. Theworkpieces are discharged from the infeed conveyor in a directiontransverse to the primary conveyor movement and guided in subsequentgravity biased movement onto a planar surface. The workpieces are thenscraped from the planar surface onto a transport member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric diagrammatic depiction of the preferredembodiment of the invention with details omitted for clarity ofillustration.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view, partially incross-section, of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with details omitted forclarity.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2taken in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is cross sectional elevational view taken in the direction ofline 4--4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevational view taken in the direction ofline 5--5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a logic circuit for controllinga workpiece abortion chute depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7a illustrates the angular position of the control cams depicted inFIG. 6 and their relationship to associated control gates for a no-errorcondition during a first sampling period.

FIG. 7b illustrates the cams and control gate depicted in FIG. 7a for anerror signal during a first sampling period.

FIG. 8a illustrates the angular positions of the control cams depictedin FIG. 6 and their relationship to associated control gates for ano-error condition during a second sampling period.

FIG. 8b illustrates the cams and control gates depicted in FIG. 8a foran error signal during a second sampling period.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An overview of the general features of the preferred embodiment is mostreadily realized from the isometric depiction of FIG. 1. A plurality ofworkpieces illustrated in the form of square plastic chips 2 are shownsupported upon an endless infeed belt 4. The infeed belt 4 is driven bya motor (not shown) which imparts rotary motion to a roller 6 whichfrictionally engages the infeed belt 4 to effectuate movement in thedirection of arrow 8. The chips 2 are transported upon the upper surface10 of the belt 4 upon their edges in an upright position. Two pairs oflateral guides 12a, 12b, and 14a, 14b are arranged end to end andpositioned above the upper surface 10 to maintain the chips 2 in thisupright position. Together with the working surface 10 of infeed belt 4,each of the two pairs of lateral guides define a channel 16therebetween.

The chips 2 are fed onto the infeed belt 4 and move therewith within thechannel 16 until the movement of the lead chip 2e is blocked by a gate18 extending across the working surface 10 within the channel 16. Thegate 18 is a piston extension from air cylinder 20, axially extendableand retractable in accordance to air pressure within the cylinder 20.The belt 4 continues its movement after the blockage of chip 2e andrelative motion is initiated between the belt and the chip. Assuccessive chips 2(f) through 2(j) etc. continue movement along theworking surface 10, each engages the preceeding chip, which preventsfurther movement; and relative motion between each these chips and thebelt 4 is successively initiated. After a predetermined period,preferably sufficient to permit four or more chips to accumulate behindchip 2(e), an engaging element 22 extending from a piston within an aircylinder 24 engages chip 2(i) against the wall of lateral guide 12(a) toprevent movement of this chip. Engagement of chip 2(i) isolates fourchips 2(e) through 2(h) [2(g) and 2(h) not shown in FIG. 1] between aircylinders 20 and 24. It should be apparent that a shorter period mightbe used, however, if less than four chips have accumulated, only thatnumber of chips will be subsequently translocated by the apparatus.

Gate 18 is retracted into cylinder 20 and removed from the channel 16after the four chips 2(e)-2(h) have accumulated and become isolated.These chips 2(e) through 2(h) are then once more freed for movement withthe infeed belt 4. Each of these chips is shortly thereaftersuccessively engaged upon its side portions by a pair of counterrotating rollers 26 and 28. Each of the rollers 26 and 28 have aperipheral velocity which is less than that of the infeed belt 4.Consequently, lead chip 2(e) (as well as the following chips) isadvanced at a slower rate than that of the belt 4 when engaged by therollers 26 and 28; and the chip advancement is accelerated once it isreleased from its frictional engagement with the rollers. The result ofthese successive chip engagements is that each engaged chip 2 isadvanced at a slower rate than that of its predecesor and a spacing isestablished between each chip and its successor.

As perhaps best illustrated in the plane view of FIG. 3, and as each ofthe chips of the isolated group 2(e) through 2(h) is successivelymetered by rollers 26 and 28 and consequently spaced from the followingchip, the group continues movement with the infeed belt 4 in a roughlyfixed spacial relationship. The lead chip 2(e) continues its movementuntil it encounters an end stop 30 which once again interrupts the chipmovement and forces relative movement between the chip 2(e) and infeedbelt 4, as this latter member continues movement beneath the chip. Aworkpiece presence detector, shown as an air sensor 32, is juxtaposed tothe end stop 30 and detects the presence of the workpiece 2(e). The airsensor 32 generates a signal in response to this workpiece 2(e) presencewhich activates the first cylinder 34 of plurality of spacing aircylinders 34, 38 and 40. The first of these cylinders (34) axiallyextends its associated gate 35 across the channel 16 to prevent themovement of advancing chip 2(f) beyond this point. The chip 2(f) will beslightly upstream of gate 35 at the time of the firing of cylinder 34due to the spacing established by counter-rotating wheels 26 and 28. Ina similar manner, air sensor 36 juxtaposed to gate 35, senses thepresence of workpiece 2(f) at that location and generates a signal inresponse to this condition to fire upstream air cylinder 38 which thenextends gate 39. In the illustration of FIG. 3, air sensor 36 hasalready effectuated the extension of gate 39; and air sensor 37,juxtaposed to this latter gate, is awaiting arrival of chip 2(g), whichwill activate cylinder 40 to extend gate 41. After chip 2(h) advancesinto engagement with the then extended gate 41, the isolated group ofchips 2(e) through 2(h) will have assumed the fixed spacialrelationships of chips 2(a) through 2(d) illustrated in FIG. 1, all thechips 2(a)-2(d) being within the channel 16 defined by lateral guides14(a) and 14(b).

Unlike lateral guides 12(a) and 12(b), lateral guides 14(a) and 14(b)are movable with respect to the base 7 and consequently also withrespect to the working surface 10 of the end feed belt 4. Rods 44 and 46are attached at opposite ends of guide 14(a) and laterally move theguides 14, as well as chips 2(a) through 2(d) contained within theinternal channel 16 in a direction perpendicular to the direction ofarrow 8 of infeed belt 4. The rods 44 and 46 are both rigidly attachedto a common tie bar 48 extending therebetween. As best seen in FIG. 2,lateral motion is imparted to the tie bar 48 by a lateral actuator 50which is itself moved by a lever 52 directed by a cam 54.

One end of lever 52 has a cam follower which tracks an eccentric groove55 within a cam 54 to rotate lever 52 about pivot 53. The cam 54 isdrivingly rotated by a shaft 54a, to which it is affixed. The oppositeend of lever 52 is pivotally connected to a carriage 56 of lateralactuator 50. The carriage 56 has four flanges 58, 60, 62 and 64 withcoaxial bores, through which a single carrier rod 66 extends. Overloadsprings 68 and 70 are supported upon carrier rod 66, the former spring68 being disposed between flanges 58 and 60 and the latter spring beingdisposed between the flanges 62 and 64. Motion of lever 52 istransmitted to the carriage 56 which in turn transmits its motion to oneof the two overload springs 68 or 70, all in accordance with thedictates of the eccentric groove 55.

As the cam follower upon lever 52 drops downwardly in FIG. 2, theopposite end of lever 52, adjacent carriage 56, is moved to the left;and flange 60 communicates this force to an overload spring 68. Undernormal operating conditions, the overload spring 68 behaves as a solidand merely transmits the motion to a spring seat 69, which in turntransmits the force to a collar (not shown) rigidly attached to thecarrier bar 66. Movement of the carrier bar 66 forces movement of thetie bar 48 as well as rods 44 and 46 rigidly attached thereto. The rods44 and 46, it will be recalled, are connected to lateral guides 14(a)and 14(b), and laterally displace the supports 14 with the movement ofcarrier rod 66. Bearing supports 72 are mounted upon base 7 between thetie bar 48 and lateral supports 14 to slidingly support the rods 44 and46. A similar action occurs through spring 70 whenever the cam followeris forced upward and the carrier rod 66 is moved toward the right inFIG. 2.

As should be apparent from the above description, the function of theoverload springs 68 and 70 is to prevent machine destruction in the rareoccurence of a machine misoperation. If, for example, an objectinterferes with the lateral movement of guide supports 14, the movementof the carrier rod 66 is also hindered. Carriage 56 is still permittedto move with the dictates of eccentric cam 54. In this situation,however, the bias of one of the overload springs 68 or 70 will beovercome and relative motion between the carrier bracket 56 and thecarrier rod 66 will accomodate the movement of lever 52 without machinedestruction. Positioning the spring 68 and 70 at each end of the carrierrod 66, of course, insures that relative motion with the carrier bracket56 will result whether the interference is encountered in the initial orreturn movement of the guides 14.

When the cam follower upon lever 52 is moved downwardly, and lateralguides 14 are moved to the left in FIG. 2 by rods 44 and 46, the chips2(a) through 2(d) within channel 16 are transversely moved across theinfeed belt 4 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrows 8(FIG. 1), representing the direction of infeed belt 4 movement. As thechips 2(a) through 2(d) are transversely moved beyond the edge of theinfeed belt 4, subjacent support of the chips is abandoned; and thechips 2(a) through 2(d) fall in gravity biased movement through aplurality of guide chutes 74 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), horizontallyoffset and beneath the infeed belt 4. The chutes 74 are constructed ofpaired elongated and tapered C-shaped channel members 74(a) and 74(b)which convergingly direct and guide the chips into the nip of a pair ofcounter-rotating lubricating rollers 76 and 78. The roller 76 and 78apply lubricant, silicone in the preferred embodiment, to the sidesurfaces of chips 2. Containers 80 and 82 are disposed beneath rollers76 and 78 respectively to maintain lubricant reservoirs, into which therollers 76 and 78 are partially submerged. Doctor blades 84 and 86 arepositioned upon each of the rollers to remove excess silicone prior toroller contact with the chips.

After receiving the lubricant coating, the chips 2 continue to dropuntil their gravity bias movement is once again interrupted by one oftwo sets of back-to-back arcuate chutes 88 or 90 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Theprimary set of arcuate chutes 90 receive the chips 2 under normaloperating conditions. The chutes 90 direct the chips along their arcuatepaths onto a substantially horizontally disposed planar surface 92,positioned immediately below the chutes 90.

A scraper 94 is horizontally spaced from the terminus of chute 90 andintimately positioned above the planar surface 92. The scraper 94cooperates with surface 92 to scrape chips off the planar surface 92 asthis latter element is laterally moved with respect to the scraper 94. Apair of length rods 96 and 98 (FIGS. 1 and 2), rigidly attached toopposite ends of a tie rod 100 are affixed to the surface 92 toeffectuate this lateral movement. Motion is imparted to the tie rod 100(FIG. 2 only) by a link 101 ultimately driven by an eccentric cam 102affixed to shaft 54(a) in common with cam 54. A follower 104, attachedto a lever 106 and pivotally supported upon rod 53, follows the contourof cam 102, which, due to the common drive shaft 54a, moves in timedrelationship to cam 54. As the planar surface 92 is moved laterally, thescraper 94 contacts and realigns the workpieces 2 and prevents theirfurther movement. Once the terminus 110 of planar surface 92 passesbeneath scraper 94, subjacent support is once again removed and thechips are dropped onto an outfeed belt 112 which, in the preferredembodiment, transports the chips 2 through an oven to permit theirthermal conditioning. Since the chips have no horizontal movementimmediately prior to their deposit upon the outfeed belt 112, they aredischarged without horizontal components of velocity and preciselypositioned upon the belt 112.

An air sensor 116 is mounted on the scraper 94 and positioned inproximity to the planar surface 92 to detect the presence or absence ofworkpieces at that site. An air cylinder 118 is responsive to an errorsignal generated by the sensor 116 indicative of an unanticipatedabsence or presence of a workpiece 2. The retraction of the air cylinder118 moves lever arm 120 to pivot arcuate chutes 88 and 90 about a pivot122. This movement positions auxiliary chutes 88 beneath the lubricatingrollers 76 and 78 and subsequent workpieces will be aborted to the rearof the machine down an abort chute 124. The chips will continue to beaborted from the machine until reset by an operator.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate details of construction of the lateral guidesupports 14 as well as the mountings for spacing wheels 26 and 28, aircylinder 34 and air sensor 32. FIG. 4 shows a workpiece 2 betweenlateral guides 12(a) and 12(b) being released by spacing wheels 26 and28 which extend into the channel 16. The wheel 26 has rubber ringinserts 202 about its periphery to enhance the frictional engagementwith the workpiece 2 and is rotatably mounted upon a drive shaft 204.The drive shaft 204 is rotated by a belt (FIG. 3 only) 206 engaged witha sprocket 208 affixed to its end portion. It should also be apparentthat spacing wheel 28 may also be driven by power from belt 206. In FIG.5, a workpiece 2 is shown blocked by gate 35 within channel 16 betweenlateral supports 14(a) and 14(b). Reinforcing supports 210 and 212 areattached to the supports 14(a) and 14(b) respectively and fastenedtogether by a tie rod 214. Support brackets 216 and 218 are mounted uponsupports 14(a) and 14(b) and in turn support air sensor 32 and aircylinder 34 respectively.

THE ABORT CHUTE CONTROL

FIG. 6 is a pneumatic embodiment of a circuit used to control the abortfunction by pivoting one of the arcuate chutes 88 and 90 about pivot 122to an abort position. The sensing circuit positions the auxiliary chute88 beneath the lubricating rollers when the unanticipated absence orpresence of a workpiece 2 is detected by the sensor 116. Theillustration depicts the sensor 116 detecting a workpiece 2 at ananticipated time; a situation in which the primary chute 90 would bepositioned beneath the lubricating rollers. An air conduit 130 suppliespressurized air to the sensor 116 under relatively low pressure (e.g. 2psig). Whenever a workpiece 2 is sensed by this sensor 116, backflow isinitiated through a conduit 132 and into a pair of parallel gatingcircuits 134 and 136. Circuits 134 and 136 contain conduits 138 and 140leading to pilot valves or gates 142 and 144, the air pressure withinthese conduits being utilized to overcome spring biasing of therespective gates and to move the gates from "closed" to "closed port"positions to "open" or "throughport" positions. These gates 142 and 144control a flow of high pressure air (approximately 60 psig) fromconduits 146 and 148 to conduits 146a and 148a, respectively, theconduits 146 and 148 being in fluid communication with conduit 141. Theair presence within the conduits 146a and 148a is, in turn, used toactuate gates 150 and 152. Each of the gates 150 and 152 is bi-stable,the gate 150 being operable to permit flow in a first open (throughport)position while the gate 152 is operable to prohibit flow (closed orclosed port) in its first position. When activated, gate 150 is moved toa second "closed" position and gate 152 is moved to a second "open"position. A conduit 154 also directs pressurized air from conduit 148 toinlets of the gates 150 and 152 by way of a sampling gate 156. Thesampling gate 156 is monostable and spring-biased to an open or throughport position. However, as should be apparent from inspection of FIG. 7,this gate is forced to its closed position through approximately 320° ofrotation of a shaft 160 in accordance to the dictates of a cam 162affixed to the shaft. The cam 162 is used to overcome the spring biasand force the sample gate 156 into the closed position via a rolling camfollowing head 164.

Cams 166 and 168 are also attached to the shaft 160 and restrict themovement of gates 150 and 152. Rolling cam following heads engage cams166 and 168 and lobes upon these cams limit the movement of the gatestoward their second positions during selected angular positions of theshaft 160. Whenever the pressurized air in conduits 146a and 148aactivate the gates 150 and 152 and the angular position of the shaft 160permits, the gates will be moved to their second positions. Air pulsesfrom conduit 154 will pass through the sampling gate 156 (when in theopen position) and through the gates 150 or 152 in parallel paths to ashuttle valve 172. This shuttle valve 172 is responsive to air flow fromeither of the parallel gating circuits 134 or 136 and in turn regulatesthe movement of a common control gate 174. The common control gate 174valve the high pressure air from a conduit 176 into the abort chutecylinder 118. A manual abort chute reset button 180 is used to control agating valve 181 which regulates air flow to the gate 174 from conduit141. When the button 180 is depressed, air pressure from conduit 141retracts cylinder 118 to reposition the primary chute 90 beneath thelubricating rollers 76 and 78.

The operation of the abort control system is best illustrated with ajoint showing of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. FIG. 7a shows the angular position ofthe cams 166, 168 and 162 as well as gates 150, 152 and 156 in a first(run) condition. Cam 166 is positioned such that gate 150 is permittedto extend to its second or closed position, blocking air flow to theshuttle valve 172 from the circuit 134. The angular position of cam 168is such that a lobed portion of that cam prevents movement of the gate152 despite the impetus provided by air pressure within the conduit 148.Cam 162 is positioned such that rolling cam-following head 164 ispermitted to extend into the recessed area of that cam 162, enablingpressurized air flow from conduit 154 to reach inlets to gates 150 and152.

In its first, run, position, a workpiece 2 is anticipated upon planarsurface 92. When this condition occurs, sensor 116 directs air flowthrough conduit 132 and into parallel circuits 134 and 136. The pressurewithin the conduits 138 and 140 overcomes the spring bias of gates 142and 144 and permits flow of high pressure air from conduit 141 to enterconduits 146a and 148a. Pressurized air within the conduit 146 issufficient to move gate 150 to the closed position; and this actionprevents pressurized air from reaching the shuttle valve 175 from thecircuit 134. Although the pressure in conduit 148a is in excess of thethreshold level required for activation of gate 152 under normalcircumstances, in this first (run) condition movement of this gate isimpeded by the lobe upon cam 168. Gate 152 is thus prevented from movingto the open position; and pressurized air is also prevented fromreaching shuttle valve 175 from circuit 136. Consequently, the commongate 174 remains in a closed (closed port) position and the cylinder 118remains in the "run" position, the primary chute 90 being positionedbeneath the lubricating rollers 76 and 78.

Inasmuch as a chip presence is anticipated during the first samplingperiod represented by FIG. 7a, the chip absence is suggestive of amisoperation of the apparatus. FIG. 7b represents this situation, whensensor 116 fails to detect a workpiece 2. The gating in the controlcircuit is similar to that described in FIG. 7a. However, since noworkpiece has been detected neither pilot gate 142 nor gate 150 will beactivated, and gate 150 will remain in its normally open position whenthe sampling signal is received from gate 156. Accordingly, controlvalve 175 will be activated, moving cylinder 118 to the abort position.

FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate a second sampling period representing a 180°counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 160 from the positionillustrated in FIG. 7a. No workpiece is anticipated as being presentduring this sampling period and a workpiece "presence" signal from thesensor 116 is suggestive of a misoperation. With the cam positionsdepicted in FIG. 8a, both gates 142 and 144 would be in their closedposition, no part presence signal having been communicated from thesensor 116. Gates 150 and 152 are thus closed, the gate 150 maintainingits closed position from its previously obtained second stable conditionfrom the first sampling period. Both parallel gates 150 and 152 areclosed, the common control gate 174 remains at its closed position andcylinder 118 remains in its run position.

FIG. 8b represents the status of the gating circuit during the samplingperiod illustrated in FIG. 8a whenever a workpiece is detected. Since noworkpiece is anticipated as being present in this sampling period, theworkpiece "presence" signal from sensor 116 opens gates 142 and 144permitting airflow through conduits 146a and 148a. Gate 150 isuneffected by this sensed condition, having maintained its closedposition from the first sampling period. Gate 152 is moved and openedunder the resulting air pressure, however, and cylinder 118 is moved tothe abort position.

The shaft 160 is preferably moved in timed relationship to movements ofworkpiece guides 14 and rollers 76 and 78. This is readily accomplishedby driving each of these elements with a common power member, each ofthe shafts 54a, 76, 78 160, etc. being driven through suitable gearingto regulate their respective speeds, as is well known in the art.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction withthe preferred embodiment it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Suchmodifications and variations are considered to be within the view andscope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of precisely placing a plurality ofplanar workpieces upon an outfeed conveyor, comprising the steps of:(a)moving the workpieces in a predetermined direction along an infeedconveyor; (b) spacing the workpieces upon the infeed conveyor; (c)preventing workpiece motion in the predetermined direction andpermitting relative movement between the workpiece and the infeedconveyor; (d) moving the workpieces in a direction transverse to thepredetermined direction to a location beyond the lateral terminus ofinfeed conveyor and permitting free-falling gravity biased workpiecemovement; (e) interrupting the free-falling gravity biased workpiecemovement and guiding the workpieces onto a substantially planar surface;and (f) scraping the workpieces off the planar surface and onto anoutfeed conveyor.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the stepof treating the workpieces with lubricant.
 3. The method of claim 2wherein the step of preventing workpiece motion includes refining of theworkpiece spacing.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step ofpreventing workpiece motion includes sequentially extending a pluralityof gates across the infeed conveyor.
 5. The method of claim 4 furthercomprising the step of monitoring workpiece presence adjacent one of thegates and extending another gate across the conveyor in accordance tothe monitored condition.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step oftreating the workpieces includes directing the workpieces through a pairof counter-rotating rollers.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprisingthe step of monitoring workpiece presence upon the planar surface andaltering the planar surface onto which the workpiece is guided inaccordance to the monitored condition.
 8. A method of aligning andtreating a plurality of workpieces, comprising:(a) moving a plurality ofworkpieces in a predetermined direction on a first transport member; (b)spacing the workpieces in said predetermined direction along saidtransport member; (c) preventing motion of said spaced work-pieces insaid direction and with respect to said member; (d) moving theworkpieces in a direction transverse to the predetermined direction to alocation beyond the lateral terminus of the transport member andpermitting free falling gravity biased workpiece movement; (e) directingthe free falling gravity biased workpieces into the nip of a pair ofcounter-rotating rollers; (f) guiding the workpieces from thecounter-rotating rollers onto a substantially planer surface; and (g)scraping the workpieces off the planar surface onto a second transportmember.